Harrisburg man accused of threatening to kill his supervisors after being suspended from work

Harrisburg man accused of threatening to kill his supervisors after being suspended from work

MIDDLETOWN — A Harrisburg man suspended from his job at a Middletown FedEx shipping center is accused of threatening to kill the shift supervisors, according to a criminal complaint filed by Lower Swatara Township police.

Gary Neil Drake, 59, of the 500 block of Clinton Road, is charged with terroristic threats and risking catastrophe in connection to the incident, which occurred on Feb. 22.

According to the criminal complaint, Drake allegedly met a coworker at a Derry Street bar and advised her not to come to work the next day. When she asked why, Drake allegedly told her he had been suspended from work due to a charge of aggravated assault that had been filed against him in August of 2017. The aggravated assault charge was filed in connection to an incident that occurred with his ex-wife and son, he allegedly told the coworker.

Drake allegedly said he planned to show up at his place of employment, shoot the security guards, and then enter the building and shoot the two supervisors who suspended him, the coworker told police. He was “dead serious,” according to the coworker, who added that he did not sound like he was joking.

The coworker said she contacted one of the supervisors and warned him not to go to work before calling police to report Drake. She told police she had to wait until Drake left the bar to call them.

According to the criminal complaint, police contacted Drake’s place of employment and were told that the business had heightened security as a result of the perceived threat. The supervisors who were threatened were advised not to come to work, and other security measures were put in place, including the addition of an armed guard at the security shed at the entrance to work.

Drake was taken into custody and arraigned on the charges on Feb. 23, police say.